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Bright Star

Bright Star

2009

Kiwi director Jane Campion's (The Piano) drama based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish), which was cut short by Keats' untimely death at age 25. Keats considered himself a failure in his own lifetime, but he was later "discovered" and revered as one of the great Romantic poets.

Bright Star was a hit at Cannes and opened the 2009 New Zealand International Film Festival.

Starring Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish, Paul Schneider, Kerry Fox, Edie Martin, Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Directed by Jane Campion ('The Piano', 'In The Cut', 'The Portrait of a Lady', 'An Angel at My Table')

Written by Jane Campion

True Story, Romance, Drama | 1hr 59mins | Rated (PG) | contains sexual references | Origin: UK, Australia | Official Site »

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Flicks review

  •  4

    Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz

    Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz

    Flicks Writer

    Kiwi director Jane Campion (The Piano) returns to form in this romantic period drama with a decidedly literary bent. Together with the dazzling central performance of Abbie Cornish and well-utilised snippets of text from main character poet John Keats, she creates both a beguiling, subtle meditation on love and an impressionist look at the mores of the time.

    Campion provides fantastic visuals and cleverly incorporates them into the story. She begins scenes with lingering shots on nature that mesmerise with their frail beauty and capture the essence of the key relationship. A keen eye for the fashions and attitudes of the time and a sense for well-placed humour are also tools that she makes assets of.

    As good as the direction is, it’s Australian actress Abbie Cornish who steals the show and wildly succeeds with every tiny detail. The lack of an Oscar nod for Cornish is mind-boggling. Ben Whishaw does fine as Keats, but his portrayal can’t compare and this imbalance is the one unintentional weakness of the film.

    Although the storyline is slight, Bright Star delivers a bouquet of quiet pleasures. From the evocation of mood through delicate imagery to the powerful romantic allure created by the most fleeting of moments, this is a mature and masterful slice of cinema.

    Agree? Disagree?...

The people's reviews

12 reviews

  • What a boring movie

     1

    Anne

    Nobody (?)

    Had I not been with a friend who actually really liked this movie I would have walked out. Terribly boring!

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • It's about lost love - I lost a friend

     1

    Hairy

    Nobody (?)

    I'm being blamed completely for dragging a friend to this and make her sit through two hours of slow paced melodrama that is just way off the mark!
    I am also feeling awful now after having sat through it. I understand that it is about love and unavailable love and that out of that sentiment words soar to create poems that tie and bind the way the lovers couldn't but for goodness sake Jane, you have done so much better with your films in the past - loved some of the cinematography but really found the pauses and silences toooooooo drawn out.
    If as a viewer you really have a lot of time on your hands and not much else to do, perhaps go and see this but avoid taking any fidgety husbands or friends if you hope to avoid having your relationship end up like John and Fanny's!

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Just lovely

     5

    Kris

    Nobody (?)

    There was so much that I loved about this film. The cinematography is beautiful, and the depiction of 1818 Hampstead and British literary society fascinating. Yes, it is a movie that has a great quality of stillness (which is obviously not appreciated by all viewers) but some of us prefer slower and more thoughtful films! I enjoyed the talented acting too - and in particular Abbie Cornish's crying and portrayal of grief after hearing of Keats's death rang very true. Having experienced some huge personal losses myself, the crying she did is the closest to the truth and most believable I have ever seen on-screen. Fabulous.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • walked out

     1

    Lex Coiner

    Nobody (?)

    The terribly dull tale of two rather uninteresting people trying to get together. There's no real conflict.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Boring!!!!!!!!!!

     1

    Gayle-Unkovich

    Wannabe (?)

    I usually enjoy a good period piece but this one was way too slow for my liking! I know I'm getting older but have to say that this was a first for me - nodding off to sleep at one stage and at most others bored out of my brain! I must say that I have never fidgeted so much at a movie in all my life, inwardly screaming "please let it be over!"

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • It's all about love

     5

    Nik

    Nobody (?)

    It's a beautiful film about love. What a joy. Peter Calder's review summed it up perfectly for me.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Terrible

     1

    Mr G

    Nobody (?)

    Wow, what movie did I watch compared to the other reviewers - certainly the professional ones at least? They love this movie, I was deeply dissapointed by it.

    Anyway, in short, Abbie C's performance as Fanny is fantastic and possibly worth the price of the ticket if you are a die hard fan of this genre. But for me, it was a more painful experience than Keats himself had. This is decent Sunday night TV but far short of the powerful, moving material I expect for the big screen.

    I think the reviewers and the local fan boys/gals have got it wrong here and it would appear to me that Janes script is what is mainly at fault.

    Go watch Boi instead when it comes out, it looks the better bet if you want to support quality local over anything local, but I wish Jane better luck next time.

    The longer review is this. The problems with this movie were many:

    * Ben Whishaw as Keats just didn't carry enough presence of stature and his poetry was not emphasised enough to carry him beyond his weaker physical presence.

    * The big personality of Brown easily stole my interest from the feable Keats but Browns distraction seemed confusing and meaningless.

    * The first part of the movie felt too slow and uneventful with too little focus on the poetry - I didn't long to become a poet or feel unable to express myself incomparison, and the second part seemed was long and depressing, but in an unmoving way - I didn't care if Keats lived or died unless it was sooner.

    * Fanny comes across as someone who just could and should have done more than just sit back and watch a love of such supposed greatness just slip away so feably. Was she that hard in reality?

    I wanted the movie to convey to me a sense of powerful words winning over a strong womans heart, but the poetry did not flow enough or with any power. I even found myself laughing at his sad and pathetic demise.

    Someone who is not a fan boy please write a review and tell me what I missed and why this script is so fantastic?

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • A perfect way to test your fidgitiness

     1

    John Davies

    Nobody (?)

    OMG, I was screaming die Keats die at probably about 90 mins. I'm surprised this is only 2 hours, it felt like 8. I could not sit still, it almost killed me. But most other people including my wife found it quite lovely, so what do I know!? Like a bottle of wine, not every film is for everyone.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • Jane - our bright star

     5

    keeshy

    Superstar (?)

    Exquisite torture of passionate doomed love - fresh and real despite the period of its drama. You feel Jane's love of her craft and conviction in all things beautiful, metaphorical and composed. Although the plot is simple, there is so much to feast on; I'll be back for a second viewing.

    Agree? Disagree?...

  • i cant wait to see this

    rachaelsfun

    Nobody (?)

    looks awesome by the trailer .. sucks that the guy has to die though i love ones that have a happier ending :)

    Agree? Disagree?...

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Press Reviews

  • Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

    What Campion does is seek visual beauty to match Keats' verbal beauty. There is a shot here of Fanny in a meadow of blue flowers that is so enthralling it beggars description.
    Read full review

  • Empire Magazine (UK)

     4

    Campion has created another resonant paean to love’s pain and joy, and gives new life to John Keats, too often now associated with dusty school books.
    Read full review

  • Los Angeles Times

    Masterfully put-together, made with confidence, intelligence and command.
    Read full review

  • NZ Herald (Peter Calder)

     5

    Easily Campion's best film, it deserves to be remembered as one of the best films ever about love.
    Read full review

  • Telegraph (UK)

     5

    Director Jane Campion has a knack for portraying female characters so intimately that she seems to get beneath their skin. She does it again in Bright Star, an exquisite piece of film-making about the doomed romance between the poet John Keats and his neighbour Fanny Brawne.
    Read full review

  • The Guardian [UK]

     5

    Forget The Piano. Jane Campion's calm, subtle and measured film about Keats is the best of her career.
    Read full review

  • TV3 (Kate Rodger)

     4

    There will be some who may find Bright Star a little too slow and I can understand that feeling. My advice is, nestle back in your big cinema seat with a glass of red wine or a big box of popcorn, make yourself comfortable, and let the romance and poetry wash over you.
    Read full review

  • Variety (USA)

    Breaking through any period-piece mustiness with piercing insight into the emotions and behavior of her characters, the writer-director examines the final years in the short life of 19th-century romantic poet John Keats through the eyes of his beloved, Fanny Brawne, played by Abbie Cornish in an outstanding performance.
    Read full review

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